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Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has told John Obi Mikel that it does not make sense staying in Chelsea, a club where he cannot be guaranteed regular football.

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has told John Obi Mikel that it does not make sense staying in Chelsea, a club where he cannot be guaranteed regular football.

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has told John Obi Mikel that it does not make sense staying in Chelsea, a club where he cannot be guaranteed regular football.

Rohr was in London to meet with Nike officials, and he said “He is moving come January transfer window. He cannot stay in a club he is not playing. So he has to move,” Rohr claimed that Mikel is being sidelined by Chelsea coach Antonio Conte because of the Super Eagles captain participation in the Rio 2016 Olympics.

But Conte said last weekend that Mikel will not be leaving in January. Even as he is yet to make a single appearance under the new Blues boss despite being cementing his place in the starting XI under interim Guus Hiddink.

There doesn’t appear to be a role suitable for Mikel in Conte’s exciting 3-4-3 formation, and academy product Nathaniel Chalobah has leapfrogged the Nigerian in the race for a backup spot. Conte said: “The situation with Obi Mikel is simple: he’s in the squad. He stays with us.